Systems and methods for generating radionuclides

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating radionuclides, such as radium-224. Systems herein may include a first cartridge having a first opening, a second opening, and a chamber therebetween having a first resin having affinity for thorium-228 and bismuth-212; a second cartridge having a first opening, a second opening, and a chamber therebetween having a second resin having affinity for thorium-228 and bismuth-212, a third cartridge having a first opening, a second opening, and a chamber therebetween comprising a third resin having affinity for thorium-228 and bismuth-212, a fourth cartridge having a first opening, a second opening, and a chamber therebetween having a third resin having affinity for lead-212; wherein a continuous flow path is formed from a top of the first cartridge though the second cartridge, through the third cartridge, and to a bottom of the fourth cartridge during system use.

1 - 50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . A system comprising:
 a first cartridge having a first opening, a second opening, and a chamber therebetween comprising a first resin having affinity for thorium-228 and bismuth-212;   a second cartridge having a first opening, a second opening, and a chamber therebetween comprising a second resin having affinity for thorium-228, wherein the second resin is distinct from the first resin;   a third cartridge having a first opening, a second opening, and a chamber therebetween comprising a third resin having affinity for thorium-228 and bismuth-212, wherein the third resin is distinct from the second resin; and   a fourth cartridge having a first opening, a second opening, and a chamber therebetween comprising a fourth resin having affinity for lead-212; and   optionally further comprising a collection vial fluidically in line with a bottom of the fourth cartridge, wherein the collection vial comprises radium-224; and   wherein a continuous flow path is formed from a top of the first cartridge though the second cartridge, through the third cartridge, and to the bottom of the fourth cartridge during system use.   
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 51 , further comprising a conduit configured to allow an acid flow from the second cartridge to the first cartridge and further to a source vial, wherein the source vial is fluidically connected to a top opening of the first cartridge. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 51 ,
 wherein the first resin comprises an aliphatic quaternary amine, and preferably the first resin comprises TEVA resin; and/or   wherein the second resin comprises octylphenyl-N,N-di-isobutyl carbamoylphosphine oxide (CMPO) dissolved in tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) or TRU resin, an ion exchange resin selected from N,N,N′,N′-tetra-n-octyldiglycolamide (DGA Resin, Normal) and/or N,N,N′,N′-tetra-2-ethylhexyldiglycolamide (DGA Resin, Branched); and/or   wherein the third resin comprises monophos resin; and/or   wherein the fourth resin comprises Pb resin, Sr resin or crown ether dissolved in alcohol, optionally 18-crown-6 dissolved in alcohol.   
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the first and/or second resin comprises particles of 50-100 μm. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 51 , further comprising a pump configured to create a partial vacuum or a pressure in the continuous flow path to draw a fluid from the top of the first cartridge through the bottom of the fourth cartridge, optionally further comprising a controller configured to control the pump partial vacuum or pressure. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 51 ,
 further comprising a fifth cartridge in line at the bottom of the fourth cartridge, wherein the fifth cartridge comprises resin E having affinity for organic materials, and wherein resin E comprises an uncoated, inert polymeric support; and   further comprising a collection vial fluidically in line with a bottom of the fifth cartridge, wherein the collection vial comprises radium-224.   
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56 , further comprising a sixth cartridge, wherein the sixth cartridge is in line at the bottom of the fourth cartridge or the bottom of the fifth cartridge, or the sixth cartridge is not in line at the bottom of the fourth cartridge or the bottom of the fifth cartridge, wherein if the sixth cartridge is not in line at the bottom of the fourth cartridge or the bottom of the fifth cartridge, then the content of the collection vial from the fourth cartridge or the content of the collection vial from the fifth cartridge is to be loaded onto the sixth cartridge, wherein the sixth cartridge comprises a sixth resin having affinity for radium-224, and wherein the sixth resin comprises MP-50 resin. 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 57 , further comprising a seventh cartridge, wherein the seventh cartridge is in line at a bottom of the sixth cartridge, wherein the seventh cartridge comprises a seventh resin having affinity for radium-224, and wherein the seventh resin comprises MP-50 resin. 
     
     
         59 . A method of operating the system of  claim 51 , the system further comprising a collection vial fluidically connected to the fourth cartridge, the method comprising:
 loading a composition comprising thorium-228, radium-224, bismuth-212, and lead-212 onto the first cartridge;   absorbing thorium-228 and bismuth-212 to the first resin in the first cartridge;   flowing radium-224 and lead-212 and residual thorium-228 and bismuth-212 through the first cartridge and into the second cartridge, wherein the second cartridge is fluidically connected to the first cartridge;   absorbing the residual thorium-228 to the second resin in the second cartridge;   flowing radium-224 and lead-212 and residual thorium-228 and bismuth-212 through the second cartridge and into the third cartridge, wherein the third cartridge is fluidically connected to the second cartridge;   absorbing the residual thorium-228 and bismuth-212 to the third resin in the third cartridge;   flowing the radium-224 and lead-212 through the third cartridge and into the fourth cartridge, wherein the fourth cartridge is fluidically connected to the third cartridge;   absorbing the lead-212 to the fourth resin in the fourth cartridge; and   flowing the radium-224 through the fourth cartridge and into the collection vial.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , further comprising, before flowing the radium-224 into the collection vial, flowing the radium-224 through a pre-filter column and absorbing contaminants onto the pre-filter column. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 59 , further comprising creating, with a pump, a partial vacuum or a pressure between the first cartridge and the fourth cartridge to thereby draw a fluid of the composition from the top of the first cartridge through the bottom of the fourth cartridge in a continuous flow path and optionally further comprising a controller configured to control the pump.